This invention relates to a tubular container for storing a plurality of miniaturized electrical components, and, more particularly, to a container effectively utilized for storing, for example, semiconductor devices which are subject to electrostatic breakdown, especially, semiconductor integrated circuit devices or IC devices.
A structure formed tubularly so as to store a plurality of IC devices and having a window of a transparent plastic at a predetermined portion of an opaque conductive plastic body has been proposed as a magazine, i.e. a container for storing a plurality of IC devices. An example of this construction is proposed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,832 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,851. As apparent from the specifications of the above mentioned patents, the body of the structure is formed of an opaque conductive plastic to prevent the same from being electrically charged, and the IC devices stored therein from being electrostatically destroyed. The transparent window is provided so that the mark representing the product name of the IC devices can be easily identified from the outside.
However a disadvantage of the proposed IC devices resides in the fact that the IC devices contact the transparent window, not subjected to an antistatic treatment, and, consequently, the IC devices are electrostatically destroyed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,832 electrically conductive plastic internal projections or legs are provided integrally with a conductive plastic body on the portion thereof which is in the vicinity of a transparent window, so as to prevent the IC devices from contacting the transparent window. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,851 it is proposed to position a transparent window on the outer surface of the top wall of a tube, and provides a gap, which is capable of preventing the IC devices from contacting the transparent window, by utilizing the thickness of the top wall. These prior art containers have large overall dimensions and slightly large weights.